On the last week of August I had the great opportunity to take my vacations (after almost 5 years of working and studying non-stop) in NYC. It was nearly impossible as a foodjunkie not to go insane with the gastronomical universe in this city and its boroughs, and with not that much cash, sadly I couldn't go to all the places I wanted. Following is a small summary of what I achieved and discovered while I explored the city in a week. Most of them have links!


The Hideout (266 Adelphi St, Brooklyn, NY )
This speakeasy-type small bar is completely hidden from plain view, no signs or lights on the entrance. It's a very cozy lounge though a bit dark for my taste. Your bartender is your "mixologist" for the evening and the complex drinks from the menu will run you between $14-$16, but they're very much worth the money. The fusion of flavors and other ingredients will speak for themselves. Try the "Poisoned Rose"


Pop Burger (58 9th Ave. )
At first I had a hard time finding the place, because it's just a picture of a burger on the door. It's a small place apparently big on take-out. Their specialty is hot dogs and burgers mostly and the
main attraction is the POP burgers, which are two small burgers in a white box, made constantly on they're huge grills and served in less than a minute. A little expensive for the size ($6.75 plus fries and drink) but hey... it's Chelsea.

Chelsea Market (Meat Packing District)
Once the Nabisco factory (where the Oreo was invented!) is now an indoor food court housing many fresh food markets, bakeries, cafes and... The Food Network!

Room Service (35 E 21st St)
This was my first time trying Thai food and I have to say NY is big on Thai. The place has individual rooms with private doors (like a hotel) you can ask for room service from (of course!) If you're just having dinner with a friend, you'll be seated at a table with a door on the back of the chair and a room number (again, completely themed). Choose between chicken, beef and shrimp, your choice of rice or noodles and your sauce. I had some chili and tamarind with white rice and broccoli and it was just the right amount of heat.

Magnolia Bakery (401 Bleeker St)
Famous for its appearance on an episode of Sex and The City, Magnolia Bakery is famous for its cupcakes ranging from $2.50 to $3 for "special cupcakes". After making the line outside on the street, you hand-pick your cupcake from a table, make a box of two or more. I have to say I've never seen so many people crazy about their cupcakes on a Thursday night. I had the Devils Food Cupcake with Mocha frosting. And of course, the service was so friendly, considering it's such a small and hot place to be working at.

Habib's Place (89 Avenue A)
Self-promoted for having "The Best Falafel in the East Village", They're open until very late. I'll remember this as the place I had my first Falafel at, a must if you're a New Yorker who's on-the-go and pressed for time. Fried Falafel patties with fress greens in a wrap or pita.

Westville East (173 Avenue A)
Nestled in the East Village and with locations also in the West Village and soon Chelsea, it's the perfect place for Sunday brunch. The wait time was brutal, but so were the other places around. It's small yet comofrtable, with open doors and windows. I had scrambled eggs with lamb sausage, potato hash (which was delicious) and fresh orange juice. You can choose between baguette, rye, what and the mysterious "Portuguese Muffin" which is basically a bigger English Muffin, as we soon learned. They also serve sandwiches, burgers, and are big on salads and the prices are between $5-$11 mostly.


Of course, when in NYC, you must a slice of pizza. It'll run you between 1-3 depending on your location. We found a place where you can get a slice of cheese and a coke for $2.25.